Forty-Eighth Annual Report OF THE Entomological Society OF ONTARIO 1917 (PUBLISHED BY THE ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO TORONTO : Printed by A. T. WILGRESS, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty 19 18 Forty-Eighth Annual Report OF THE Entomological Society OF ONTARIO ^^ 1917 -^^ArO^O [PUBLISHED BY THE ONTARIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) PRINTED BY ORDER OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO TORONTO : Printed by A. T. WILGRESS, Printer to the King's Most Excellent Majesty 19 18 Printed by WILLIAM BRIGGS. Corner Queen & John Su. Toronto. To His Honour, Sir John Strathearn Hendrie_, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Militia of Canada, etc., etc., etc., Lieut enafit-Governor of the Provvnce of Ontario. May it Please Your Honour: The undersigned begs to present for the consideration of your Honour, the Eeport of the Entomological Society for 1917. Eespectfully submitted, William H. Hearst, Minister of Agriculture. Toronto, 1918. [3] CONTENTS. PAGE Officers for 1917-1918 - 6 Financial Statement 6 List of Members •. 7 List of Members on Active Service 8 Annual Meeting , 9 Report of the Council 9 " Librarian 11 " Curator 11 " Montreal Brancii 12 Toronto Branch 13 " British Columbia Branch ...;..:. .'. . . . . 13 " Nova Scotia Branch ; 14 " Delegate to the Royal Society of Canada 15 Address J. C. Chapais, Delegate of Quebec Society for the Protection of Plants 17 Reports on Insects for the Year: Division No. 1, A. Gibson 18 " 3, A. CosENs 20 " 5, F. J. A. Morris ... •. 22 " 6, J. W. Noble 28 *" '• " 7, W. A. Ross ....:..:.:. .:.:. 29 Further Notes on the Imported Onion Maggot and its Control: A. Gibson .... . 30 The Entomological Service of Quebec : Georges Maheux 33 Some Important Insects of the Season : L. Caesar 36 The Apple and Thorn Skeletonizer: E. P. Felt 44 Some Notodontian Larviv: J. A. Corcoran .' 47 The Problem of Mosquito Control : T. J. Headlee 49 The Black Cherry Aphis : W. A. Ross 59 A Comedy of Errors : F. J. A. Morris 69 Transoanadian Spiders: J. H. Emerton 76 A Further Report on the Value of Dusting vs. Spraying: L. Caesar 79 Notes on the Ecology of Insects: W. Lochhead 86 Effect of Stable and Horn Fly Attacks on Milk Production: A. W. Baker 92 Two Unusual G-arden Pests in Nova Scotia : W. H. Brittain 95 The Entomological Record : A. Gibson 100 L^] Mr. Albert F. Winn, President of the Entomological Society of Ontario, 1915-1917. Entomological Society of Ontario OFFICERS FOR 1917-1918 President— Prof. Lawson Caesar, Dept. of Entomology, Ontario Agricultural College. Guelph. Vice-President — Mr. Arthur Gibson, Division of Entomology, Ottawa. Secretary-Treasurer— M-R. A. W. Baker, B.S.A., Lecturer in Entomology, O. A. College, Guelph. Curator— Mvi. Eric Hearle, O. A. College, Guelph. Librftjjan— Rev. Prof. C. J. S. Bethu>'e, ,M.A., D.C.L., F.R.&.C., Professor of Ento- mology and Zoology, O. A. College, Guelph. Directors — ^Division No. 1, Mr. J. M. Swaine, Entomological Branch, Dept. of Agri- culture, Ottawa; Division No. 2, iMk. G. E. Grant, Orillia; Division No. 3, Dr. A. Cosens, Parkdale Collegiate Ih&titute, Toronto; Division No. 4, Mr. F. J. A. Morris, Peterborough: Division No. 5, Mr. J. W. Noble, Essex, Ont.; Division No. 6, Mr. W. A. Ross, Vineland Station, Ont. Directors (ex-IPresidents of the Society) — Rev. Prof. C, J. S. Bethune, M.A., D.C.L., F.R.S.C., Guelph; W. Hague Harrington, F.R.S.C, Ottawa; Prof. John Dearness, Vice- Principal, Normal School, London; Rev. Thos. W. Fyles, D.C.L., F-L-S., Ottawa; Prof. Wm. Lochhead, B.A., M.S., Macdonald College, Que.; John D. Evans, C.E., Chief Engineer, Central Ontario Railway, Trenton; Prof. E. M. Walker, B.A., M.B., F.RjS.C, University of Toronto; C. Gordon Hewitt, D.iSic., F.R.S.C, Dominion Entomologist, Ottawa; Mr. Albert F. Winn, Westmount, Que. Editor of " The Canadian Entomologist " — Prof. E. M. Walker, Toronto. Delegate to the Royal Society of Canada — The President. FINANCIAL STATEMENT For year ending October 31st, 1&17. Receipts. Expenditures. Cash on hand, 1915-16 ?27 58 Advertisements 53 80 Back numbers 231 88 Cork and pins 100 43 Dues 80 65 Subscriptions 471 73 Government grant 1,000 00 Bank interest 14 81 $1,980 88 Printing due on 1915-16 $66 96 Annual meeting 124 35 Printing 1,221 90 Salaries Library Expense Bank exchange Cork and pins Annual report Cash ^n hand . 225 00 24 00 41 27 10 21 103 59 121 50 42 10 $1,980 88 To balance due on printing By cash on hand $104 14 42 10 Net deficit Auditors: L. Caesar. J. E. Howitt. $62 04 Respectfully submitted, A. W. Baker, Secretary-Treasurer. re] LIST OF MEMBERS Ontario. Quebec. Andrews, H. D Toronto. Astwood, J. C Port Arthur. Baker, A. W Guel'ph. Beaulne, J. I Otta;wa. Biggar, W. E Hamilton. Brimley, J. F Bloomfield. Brobst, C. K Toronto. Burrows, A. R Guelph. Caesar, Prof. L " Calvert, J. F London. Chrystal, R. Neil Ottawa. Cleeves, A. C Guelph. Clemens, W. A Toronto. Cosens, Dr. A " Craigie, E. H " Crawford, H. G Wilton Grove. Curran, H Guelph. Dearness, Prof. J London. Doherty, T. K Ottawa. Duff, G. H Hamilton. Dunlop, James Woodstock. Fouse, CM Toronto. Gibson, Arthur Ottawa. Gooderham, C. B " Grant, C. E Orillia. Grant, L. J. M Hahn, Paul Toronto. Haight, D. H Sudbury. Hannibal, J Toronto. Hearle, E Guelph. Hewitt, Dr. C. Gordon . . . Ottawa. Huntsman, Dr. A. G Toronto. James, L. E St. Thomas. Jolly, Miss Toronto. King, Lieut. Vernon Guelph. Kirkwood, K Toronto. Kitto, V Ottawa. Kurata, T. B Toronto. Logier, S Macnamara, C Arnprior. Morris, F. J. A Peterborough. Mossop, Miss B. K. E Toronto. Nash, C. W Noble, J. W Essex. Petch, C. E Ottawa. Ross, W. A Vineland. Rowland, H. F Guelph. Saxby, J. W Toronto. Shorey, W. P Vineland Sta. Sladen, F. W. L Ottawa. Smith, Arthur Toronto. Snazelle, C " Spencer, Capt. G. J Guelph. Swaine, J. M Ottawa. Strickland, E. H Thompson, J. W Toronto. Tomlinson, A. H Guelph. Walker, Prof. E. M Toronto. Watson, Dr. A. H. R Port Hope. White, James Snelgrove. Williams, G. A Port Hope. Wright, Capt. W. Hi Guelph. Zavitz, E. J Toronto. Barwick, E. C Montreal. Burgess, Dr. T. J. W Verdun. Chambers, C Montreal. Chapais, J. C St. Denis. Chagnon, G Montreal. Clayson, G. H Corcoran, J. A " Cummings, R. F " Davis, M. "W Westmount. Dunlop, G. C Montreal. Du Porte, E. iM Macdonald College. Garland, C Montreal. Germain, Bro Three Rivers. Gibb, L Montreal. Hall, G. H Holmes, J. G Westmount. Huard, Rev. V. A Quebec. Jackson, Dr. F. S Montreal. Leopold, Rev. Father La Trappe. Letourneau, F Oka. Lochhead, Prof. W Macdonald College. Moore, G. A Montreal. Southee, G. A " Winn, A. F Westmount. New Brunswick. Tothill, J. D Predericton. Baird, A. B Nova Scotia. Allen, E. Chesley Yarmouth. Baird, W. W Nappan. Blair, "W. S. Kentville. Brittain, Prof. W. H Truro. De Wolfe, L. A " Dustan, A. G Bridgetown. Good, C. A Truro. Harlow, L. C " Lindsay, Harriet E " Longley, Miss M Paradise. McKay, Dr. A. H Halifax. Payne, H. G Granville Ferry. Payne, S. H Perrin, Joseph Halifax. Sanders, G. E Bridgetown. Scott, Prof. J. M Truro. Wetmore, Ralph Yarmouth. Whitman, C. P. U Lawrencetown. Young, Ermina Brighton. Manitoba. Brooker, S. H Winnipeg. Criddle, Norman Treesbank. Hippesley, Mrs. W. W Dauphin. Hunter, Dr. A. J Teulon. Wallis, J. B Winnipeg. [7] THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 Saskatchewan. Androchowicz, E Humboldt. Bentley, Miss L Mellville. Hutchinson, H Starblanket. Neville, S. J Cottonwood. Willing, Prof. T. N Saskatoon. Alberta, Antijutti, Miss E Barons. Baird, Thomas High River. Bentlej% Lettice Lethbridge. Bowman, K Edmonton. Carr, F. S Dod, F. H. Wolley Midnapore. Henderson, Mrs. L. A. ... Barons. Tmeson, Miss V " Maekie, Donald Edmonton. Phillips, E Lacombe. Whitehouse, F. C Red Deer. British Columbia. Blackniore, E. H Victoria. Brewn, W. A " Brinkman, M " Buckell, "W. N Salmon Arm. Cameron, Dr. A. E Agassiz. Carter, W. R Victoria. Cockle, J. W. Cunningham, C Day, G. 0. ... Downes, N. . Evans, H. H. French, P. E Garrett, C. B. D. Hadwen, Dr. S. Hanham, A. W. Harris, Miss M. Hook, G Hugh, G. W. ... Johnstone, W. B Kermode, F. . . Leach, D. H. . . Mathers, G. W. McKeever, F. W Phair, A. W. A. Robson, A. C. U Ruhman, M. . . Stevens, M. G. Taylor, L. E. . . Treherne, R. C. Venables, E. P. Warren, Miss E White, E. W. . .Kaslo. . . Victoria. . .Duncan's, V.I. . .Victoria. . .Vernon. . . Salmon Arm. . . Cranbrook. . .Agassiz. . . Duncan's Station. . . DeroChe. ..Cobble Hill. . . Victoria. . . Edgewood, Arrow Lake. . . Victoria. . . Salmon Ann. . . Vancouvei". . .Penticton. . .Lillooet. . .Victoria. . .Vernon. . .Vancouver. . .Kelowna. . .Agassiz. . .Vernon. . . Barnston Island. . . Victoria. HONORARY MEMBERS Cockerell, Prof. T. D. A.. .Boulder, Col. Comstock, Prof. J. H Ithaca, N.Y. Cresson, Ezra T Philadelphia, Pa. Felt. Dr. E. P Howard, Dr. L. O. . Wickham, Prof. H. F. . . Albany, N.Y. . . Washington, D.C. . .Iowa City, la. Bethune, Rev. C. J. S Professor of Entomology. Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. LIFE MEMBERS Evans, John D., C.E Trenton. Fyles, Rev. Dr. T. W Ottawa. MEMBERS OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO ON ACTIVE SERVICE Bird, M. L . . . Prince Rupert, B.C. B.C. Brewn, L. A . . . Victoria, B.C. Matheson, J. B. ... . . Kelowna, B.C. Brodie H S f Dom. Ent. Lab., McOubbing, C . . Salmon Arm, B.iC. ) Agassiz, B.C. Neville, S. J . . Cottonwood, Sask Burrows, A. R. ... . . . O.A.C., Guelph. Prewett, F. J . . Toronto, Ont. *Bush, A. H . . . Vancouver, B.C. Victoria B C Cleeves, A. C . . . O.A.C., Guelph. Robertson, W. H. . . Creese, H. H . . . Kelowna, B.C. Robson, A. B. V. . . " Curran, H . . . Dom Ent. Lab Rowland, H. F Simms, H. M . . O.A.C., Guelph. . . Montreal, P.Q. Vineland, Ont. . . . Kentville, N.S Dickie CM Snazelle, Chas. •. . . . . . Thornloe, New Ontario. Dod. F. H. Wolley . . . . Midnapore, Alta. Good, Lieut. C. A. . . . . Truro, N.S. Spencer, Capt. G. J. . . O.A.C, Guelph. *Harvey, R. V . . . Victoria, B.C. Strickland, E. H. . . . . Entomological Hudson, H. F . . . Entomological Br., Ottawa. Br., Ottawa. Venables, E. P . . Vernon, B.C. King, V- . . . Bureau of Ento- * Walsh, Lieut. F. W . O.A.C., Guelph. mology, Wash- Williams, CM . . Nappan, N.S. ington, D.C. Wilson, Ed . . Vancouver, B.C. *Killed in action. Wright, Lieut. W. H... O.A.C, Guelph. Entomological Society of Ontario ANNUAL MEETING The Fifty-fourth Annual Meeting of the Society was held at Macdouald College;, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Que., on Thursday and Friday, Nov, 8th and 9th. The chair was occupied by the President, Mr. A. F. Winn. The following members were present : Dr. C. Gordon Hewitt and Messrs. Arthur Gibson, J. M. Swaine and J. I. Beaulne, Ottawa; Messrs, A. F, Winn and G. A. Moore and Dr. J. A. Corcoran, Montreal; Prof. Wm. Lochhead and Mr. E. M. du Porte, Macdouald College; Mr. Geo. Maheux, Quebec; Mr. J. C. Chapais, St. Denis-en-bas, Quo. ; Father Leopold and Mr. F. Letourneau, La Trappe, Que. ; Mr. E. F. Cummings, Maissoneuve, Que. ; Mr. J. D. Evans, Trenton, Ont.; Prof. L. Caesar and Mr. A. W. Baker, 0. A. College, Guelph; Mr. F. J. A. Morris, Peterborough; Mr. W. A. Ross, Vineland Station, Ont.; Mr. H. F. Hudson, Strathroy, Ont.; Prof, W. H, Brittain, Truro, N,S.; and Messrs. A. L. McLaine and C. E. Fetch. Fredericton, IST.B. Others present were Prof. Arthur Willey, Montreal ; Dr. F. C. Harrison, Professors T. G. Bunting and Jas; Murray, and Mr. W. P. Eraser, Macdouald College ; Mr. J. H. Emerton, Boston, Mass, ; Dr, T. J. Headlee, New Brunswick, ISr.J. ; Mr, A. F. Burgess, Melrose Highlands, Mass.; and Prof. W. C. OTvane, Durham, N.H. On Thursday morning a meeting of the Council was held in the office of Prof. Lochhead, at which the report of the proceedings during the past year and ihe financial statement were received and adopted. It was decided that all pay- ments for articles contributed to the Annual Eeport be discontinued. The Council also decided that the next Annual Meeting be held at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph. In the afternoon the Society met in the Biology Building, and the meeting was called to order by the President, After the reading of the reports of the Council, Treasurer, Librarian and Curator and of the various branches of the Society, the local Secretary, Prof. Lochhead, read a letter from Dr. Hewitt express- ing regret at his inability to attend all the meetings. Letters of regret were also read from a number of entomologists from the United States. At the close of the afternoon session telegrams were sent to Dr. Bethune and Dr. Fyles, conveying to them the Society's greetings and good wishes and expressing regret at their absence from the meeting. REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. The Council of the Entomological Society of Ontario begs to present, its report for the year 1916-1917. The Fifty-third Annual Meeting of the Society was held at the Ontario Agricultural College, Guelph, on Thursday and Friday, November 2nd and 3rd, 1916. The President of the Society, Mr. A. F, Winn, Westmount, P.Q.. occupied the chair. There was a verv satisfactorv attendance of members and students; among the visitors from a distance may be mentioned Dr, L. 0. Howard, Chief [9] 2 E.S. 10 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 of the Bureau of Entomology, Washington, D.C., and Professor Parrott, Geneva, N.Y. A large number of papers of interest and importance were read and discussed, of Avhich the following is a list : " The Naturalist in the City," by the Rev. Dr. T. W. Fyles ; " Dusting Fruit-trees and Grapes for the Control of Biting Insects and Diseases,'^ by Prof. L. Caesar ; " General Notes on Aphids which Occur on Apple-trees," by Mr. W. A. Eoss ; " Further Experiments with the Green Apple Bug," by Prof. W. H. Brittain ; " Notes on Physonota unipuncta, the Sun- flower Tortoise-beetle," by Mr. A. F. Winn ; " Preliminary Notes on the use of Repellents for Horn-flies and Stable-flies on Cattle," by Mr. A. W. Baker ; " The Wood of Desire," by Mr. F. J. A. Morris; "Insects as Material for Studies in Heredity," by Prof. W. Lochhead ; " The Migratory Tendency in Dragonflies," by Prof. E. M. Walker; "The History of the Forest Tent-Caterpillar and Fall Web- worm in North America," by Mr. A. B. Baird ; " Three Important Greenhouse Pests recently introduced into Canada," by Mr. A. Gibson ; " Camp Hygiene," by Capt. G. J. Spencer ; " Experiments in the Control of the Apple Maggot," by Prof. W. H. Brittain ; " Summary of Experiments on the Control of Locusts by Coccobacillus acridiorum d'Herelle," by Messrs. E, M. du Porte and J. Vanderleck ; " Three Shade-tree Insects," by Mr. J. M. Swaine ; " Notes on Some Insects of the Season," by Prof. L. Caesar ; and " Parasites of the Larch Saw-fly," by Dr. C. Gordon Hewitt. Tile Canadian Entomologist, the official organ of the Society, has been regularly issued each month; the 48th volume was completed in December, 1916. It contained 437 pages and was illustrated with 13 full-page plates and 21 original figures in the text. The contributors of papers numbered 55 and included writers in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Alberta, fourteen of the United States, and London, England. The series of interesting and instructive papers on " Popular and Practical Entomology " was continued each month. During the year, 155 new species, subspecies and varieties, and 42 new genera were described, a much larger number than usual. These systematic and des- criptive papers render the magazine indispensable to workers in various fields of scientific entomology and cause a constant application for back numbers and volumes. The attendance of students at military drill during the afternoons when the daily lectures were over prevented most of the members of the society in Guelph from coming to meetings; few, therefore, were held during 1916-17, and those were mostly of a business character, at which thirty new members were elected. The following papers, however were read during the vear: " Some Ontario Mosquitoes," by Eric Hearle. ''The Colorado Potato Beetle." by A. W. Guild. "Lady-bird beetles," by R. M. Alton. Year by year it becomes our sad duty to record the loss and pay tribute to the memory of departed members of our Society. On the 18th of November, 1916, Mr. Edmund Baynes Reed died at Victoria, B.C., after a long illness. He was one of the original members of the Society when it was formed in 1863, and for twenty-five years filled various offices with great industry and enthusiasm. He was largely instrumental in establishing our library and assisted greatly in building up the Society's collections of Canadian insects. His removal to British Columbia in 1890 was a distinct loss to the Society, though he continued to take great interest in its welfare. An appreciative obituary notice by his lifelonsr friend. Dr. Bethune, was published in the February, 1917. number of the Canadian EnfomohgiM. Another of our British Columbian members has been removed 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 11 from us owing to the tragic death of Mr. Tom Wilson, who lost his life on March 6th in a fire that destroyed the Quaballa Hotel at Hope, B.C. He was engaged at the time in his work of inspecting and improving the orchards on the Indian reserves. He was President of the British Columbia Branch of our Society in 1912 and always took a very active interest in its proceedings. He possessed a remarkable knowledge of the trees, plants and insects of the Province, and had made a large collection of the latter, which he presented to the Canadian national cabinets in charge of the Entomological Division at Ottawa. An interest- ing sketch of his life by Dr. C. Gordon Hewitt, was published in the Canadian Entomologist for August. We have also to record with much regret the sudden death of Mr. A. H. Kilman, of Eidgeway, Ont., who had been a member of the Society for a great many years. He formed a large and valuable collection of Coleoptera which is now' in the possession of the Ontario Agricultural College at Guelph. On Tuesday of this week another of our members has been removed from us in the person of Mr. S. T. Wood, who died in Toronto after a few weeks' illness, in the 57th year of his age. He was for many years on the editorial staff of The Globe newspaper, and was widely known as the writter of numerous sketches of the various aspects of nature at all seasons of the year. Many of these were collected together and recently published in a beautifully illustrated volume " The Eambles of a Canadian Naturalist." They form a series of charm- ing papers on wild animal life, birds and insects, flowers, trees and shrubs, observed in the neighborhood of Toronto in groves and ravines which the hand of man has not yet disturbed. REPOET OF THE LIBEAEIAN. As there were no funds available for the purpose, no books were purchased nor was any binding done during the year ending on October 31st, 1917; there is very little, therefore, to report. Only nine bound volumes were placed upon the shelves, making the total number on the register 2,271 ; the unbound material, consisting of bulletins, reports, periodicals and pamphlets, continues to increase and, it is hoped, may some day be put in proper shape and made available for convenient reference. Charles J. S. Bethune, Librarian. REPOET OP THE CUEATOE. The collections of the Society during the past year have been carefully and regularly examined, and precautions have been taken to prevent injury by museum pests. Professor T. D. A. Oockerell, of the University of Colorado, Boulder, Col., very kindly sent a number of specimens of bees, and wrote that he had read with great interest Dr. Bethune's account of the collections of our Society. He also said that when the collection was exhibited in London at the Fisheries Exhibition in 1882, he examined it very carefully and made many notes; it was the first 12 THE IJEPORT OF THE No. 36 collection of North American insects that he had ever seen, and it interested him very mnch in comparison with the British fauna. Few other additions have been made to the collections this year, and any presentations, especially of Diptcra and Hemiptera would be gratefully received. Respectfully submitted, W. G. Evans, Ciirator. REPORT OF THE MONTREAL BRANCH. The 369th regular and 44th Annual Meeting o£ the Montreal Branch of the Entomological Society of Ontario was held at the residence of Geo. A. Moore, 359 Quebec St., Outremont, on Saturday evening. May 12th, 1917, at 8.15 p.m. The report of the Council showed that during the season 1916-1917, eight meetings were held with a total attendance of 98 or an average of over 12 per meeting. This is the largest attendance on record since 1874-5 when it totalled 100 ; that year the average attendance was only 7. The largest average attendance on record formerly M-as for the season 1898-9 when it was slightly over 10 per meeting. The large attendance this year was due to two special meetings held : one in the Redpath Museum when Dr. Jackson gave a lantern lecture and the other at the Loyola College when a number of the pupils were present. We report the death of one of our oldest members, the late Albert Griffin. During the season the following papers and talks were given before our Society : — 1. President's Annual Address A. P. Winn. 2. Notes on Physonota unipuncta (Col. ) . . A. P. Winn. 3. Habits and life history of Nymphiila maculalis Chem Dr. P. S. Jackson. 4. Collecting Wasps and Bees « F. W. L. iSiladen. 5. Hemiptera taken at St. Hilaire, Que., on May 24th, 1916 Geo. A. Moore. 6. Diurnal Moths taken at Vaudreuil, Que Dr. J. A. Cobcoran. 7. The Season, 1&16 * L. Gibb. 8. Belostomatidse Geo. A. Moore. 9. Description of Annual Meetings of the American Entomo- logical and Washington Societies Dr. Corcoran. 10. Insects Attacking Apple Orchards at Covey Hill and Hem- * mingford in 1916 J. I. Beaulne. 11. Leaf-cutting Ants Dr. P. S. Jackson. 12. Chinch Bugs , Geo. A. Mooke. 13. The Study of Insects. Some Practical and Theoretical Aspects of Entomology Dr. P. S. Jackson. 14. Sex Characteristics of the Nymphalidae G. Chagnon. 15. The Making of Lantern Slides Dr. Corcoran. 16. Insects in Shore Drift (Hemiptera) Geo. A. Moore. 17. Dimorphism in the Genus Grapta A. P. Winn. ' The Treasurer's report sliowed a balance on hand of $90.80. The following officers were elected for the coming year: — • President A. F. Winn. Yice-President G. Chagnon. Secretary-Treasurer Geo. A. Moore. Librarian G. Chagnon. Council G. A. SouTHEE, Dr. Corcoran, J. G. Holmes, G. H. Hall. Respectfully submitted, Geo. A. Moore, Secretary. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. L3 REPOET OF THE TORONTO BKANCH. The 210tli meeting and 21st annual meeting of the Toronto Branch was iiehl in the Biological Building of the University on Thursday, Oct. 18th, 1917, tlie President, Dr. Walker, in the chair. Those present were Dr. Walker, Dr. Cosens, Dr. Clemens, Miss Mossop, Miss Margery Ford, Miss Norma Ford, Messrs. Andrews, Logier, Hannibal, Brobst, Wright and Eeid, and three visitors. After the reading of the minutes the report of the Council and the financial statement were presented by the Secretary-treasurer. Only seven meetings, includ- ing the annual meeting, were held during the year, with an average attendance of ten. This small number of meetings was due to the necessity of closing the season with the meeting of April 19th, owing to the fact that a number of the members were absent from the city early in the year. Four new members were elected during the year. The financial statement showed a balance on hand of $7.09. The papers read during the season Avere as follows: — Oct. 26. Migratory Tendencies of Dragon-flies E. M. Walker. Nov. 23. Life History of Ips pini W. A. Clemens. Jan. 18. Pond Life C. W. N.\.sh. Feb. 15. City and Field Collecting H. V. Andrews. Mar. 15. Ants and Aphids S. Logier. Apr. 19. Mites and Ticks, and their Relation to Disease E. M. W.^lker. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows : — President Dr. W. A. Clemens. Vice-President Mr. H. V. Andrews. Secretary-Treasurer .Mr. S. Logier. \ Librarian Miss B. K. E. Mossop. Council Db. a. Cosens, . Dr. E. M. Walker, Messrs, C. W. Nash, J. Hannibal and T. B. Kur.^ta. Two new memliers were also elected at this meeting. The remainder of the evening was devoted to an informal discussion of various entomological subjects, in which most of those present took part. Interesting observations were made by several members on tlie migrations of the Monarch butterfly {Anosmia ple^'ippus) and the Cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapw) during the season of 1917 and many specimens of interest were exhibited and discussed. Ee.spectfully submitted, Shelley Logier, Sec.-Treas. REPORT OF THE BRITISH COLUMBIA BRANCH. The Sixteenth Annual Meeting of the British Columbia Branch was held in the Provincial Museum, Parliament Buildings, Victoria, B.C., on Saturday, March 17th, 1917. The President, Mr. E. H. Blackmore, occupied the chair. There was a good attendance of members from various parts of the Province and much interest Avas taken in the payjers presented. The reports of the Secretary. Mr. R. C. Treherne and of the Treasurer, Mr. Williams Huo-h, showed the Societv to be in a verv healthv condition and 14 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 were unanimously adopted. The meeting was divided into two sessions. During the morning session, Mr. E. H. Blackmore delivered his presidential address and the following papers were read: — A Few Notes from Vernon M. H. Ruhman. (a) Hibernation ot Larvae; (b) The Movement of Boreus in the Snow J. W. Cockle. Collecting in the Okanagan District W. Downes. On the Hibernation of Lady^bird Beetles (Coccinellidse) T. Wilson. Insect Notes of the Year R. C. Treherne. Afternoon Session. Xotes on Geometridae new to British (Columibia E. H. Blackmore. Pronunciation of the Scientific Names of Insects G. O. Day, F.E.S. Fossil Insects Dr. S. Hadwen; Dr. A. E. Cameron. Notes on B.C. Diptera R. S. Sherman. Factors in Mosquito Control Dr. A. E. Cameron ; Dr. S. Hadwen. The Victoria suh-hranch held meetings in the rooms of the A^ictoria Natural History Society in January, February, March and April, with an average atten- dance of nine members. The following papers were presented, illustrated with specimens of the subjects taken up : — The Parnassiclcc and Papilionidw oif British Columbia E. H. Blackmore. Leptarctia californi. Representing here, as a delegate, the Quebec Society for the Protection of Plants, I have thought it might interest you for a moment to hear about a note I found while perusing, recently, a French work on agriculture called " Le Livre de la Ferme," (The Book of the Farm), written by Pierre Joigneaux, an agronomist of France who has edited it at Paris since 1857. This book is considered as one of the classics on agriculture and as an authority in that branch of human knowl- edge, along with those of De Serres, De Domballes, Gayot, Gasparin, Barral. Isidore Pierre, Heuze, etc. The note, to which I have just alluded, relates to an es?ay by a French-Canadian entomologist, Mr. Emilien Dupont who, in 1856, entered it in a competition opened to the entomologists of Canada, as appears from the follow- ing quotation: Bureau of Agriculture and Statistics, Toronto, 15th August, 1856. On the 15th August, 1856, there issued from this department the following notice: — Bureau of Agriculture and Statistics, Toronto, 15th August, 1856 Prize Essays— £40, £25, and £15. The above premiums will be paid for the three best essays, respectively, on the " Origin, Nature, and Habits — and the history of the progress, from time to time — and the cause of the progress, of the weevil, Hessian fly, midge, and such other insects as have made ravages on the wheat crop in Canada; and on such diseases as the wheat crops have been subjected to, and on the 'best means of evading or guarding against them." The Essay to be furnished to the Bureau P. M. Vankoughnet, Minister of Agriculture, etc. The time named in the notice iirst issued having been extended to the 15th day of April, twenty-two essays M^ere received up to that time. The Boards of Agriculture for Upper and Lower Canada named Professor Hincks. of University College, Toronto, and Professor Dawson, of McGill College, Montreal, as a Com- mittee, to decide upon the merits of the several essays. According to the decision of these gentlemen, the first prize has been awarded to H. W. Hind, Esq., Professor of Chemistry, at Trinity College, Toronto; the second prize to the Rev. George Hill, Rector of Markham ; and the third prize to Emilien Dupont, Esq., of St. Joachim. Joigneaux, in his "Book of the Farm." fourth edition, edited in 1883, app:e- ciates the prize-awarded essay of Dupont as follows, in chapter LI dealing with " Insects Injurious to Cereals,'^ paragraph Cecidomyife, page 955, and I have thought that this quotation made by a French agronomist d'outre mer of the work of an entomologist of America would prove of some interest to you as it has for me. Here is the quotation from Mr. Joigneaux: "Mr. E. Dupont, who has observed keenly the habits of these insects (the Cecido- myiw) , when they were doing a great deal of damage in Canada, in 1834 and during the following years, has made some important observations from which he has drawn valu- able indications. " ' Cecidomyia tritici.' he says, ' is delicate and can barely do more than move farther tlian a few acres from Its native spot, and, at that, only in calm weather. The fields that 18 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 have been sown in wheat and which have been attacked by the Cecidomyicv the preceding year, are much more infested with it than recently cleared land. (Moreover, an observer has noticed prodigious numtoers of Cecidomyue on potato vines planted in a field which had yielded wheat the preceding summer; these flies were henceforward harmless. Thus the necessity of alternating the crops and keeping wheat as long as possible from the lately infested spots is clearly indicated. " ' It has also ibeen demonstrated through observation,' says Mr. Dupont, ' that !by modifying the time of earing cf the wheat so as to have it before the 16th of June or after the 20th of July, that is, 'before or after the time of appearance of the Cecidomyice, the damages caused by that insect are avoided.' " Let us then, with Mr. Dupont, say to the farmers: If you dread the wheat fly for next year, do not sow your grain on the same field, nor in its neighbourhood; then, sow, if possible, in April; if this is too early, then wait till the first days of June; lastly, keep your fields clear from weeds which may offer secure shelter for the flies." That quotation far off echo of what has been done, at a pretty far distant epoch, in Canada, by one of our entomologists, goes to show the spirit of co-opera- tion in the study of the captivating science of entomology which leads the entomo- logists all over the world, though strangers they may be to one another, to work jointly for the elucidation of the numerous problems offered by that science.* *The above mentioned essay of Emilien Dupont has 'been published in French in book form, as a pamphlet of 38 pages, Oif which the title page reads as follows: Essai sur les insectes et les maladies qui affectent le ble, par Emilien Dupont, Ecr., de St. Joachim, comte de Montmorency. L'auteur a regu le troisieme prix du Bureau d'Agri- culture et des Statistiques. Montreal, des presses a vapeur du Canada Directory, rue St-Nicolas, 1857. The name of Emilien Dupont is a pseudonym. The true name of the author is L'Abbe Leon Provancher, of the Diocese of Quebec, the well-known French-Canadian naturalist, who has written many works on natural history from 1857 to 1891. REPORT ON INSECTS FOR THE YEAR. Division No, 1, Ottawa Distkict — Arthur Gibsox, Entomological Branch, Ottawa. Attacking Field Crops. The Striped Cucumber Beetle, Diahrotica vittata Fab. In the early part of the summer a good deal of injury was caused by this insect, particularly to cucum- bers and Hubbard's squash. Many plants of the latter examined on June 21st were seen to be seriously eaten. Experiments in controlling the beetle by spraying with ordinary poisoned Bordeaux mixture were successful, the plants being thoroughly drenched with the mixture. The Ash-gray Blister Beetle, Macrohasis nnicolor Kby., was again com- plained of in the district as injuring potatoes in the first half of July. On July 7th from one hill 150 beetles were removed. The Imported Onion Maggot, Hylemyia antiqua Mg. In 1917 we continued our experiments with a poisoned bait spray (sodium arsenite), to attract and kill the flies, and as our results were of considerable value a separate statement on this work appears on page 31. The Cabbage Root Maggot, Phorhia hrassiccB Bouche. While not specially numerous, a good deal of injury was effected by the maggots. Complaints were received chiefly from amateur gardeners who found that their cabbage, cauliflower and turnip plants were being destroyed. One gardener brought to me, on July 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 19 9tli, samples of young, badly-infested turnips, and stated that a patch about twenty feet square had been ruined. The Colorado Potato Beetle^ Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say, was re- sponsible for enquiries from many city dwellers who were growing potatoes on vacant lots or other areas for the first time. The insect was present in large numbers throughout the district. The Potato Aphis> Macrosiphum solanifolii Ashm. was also numerous during 1917, large colonies of the plant lice being present in gardens and fields in Eatern Canada. At Ottawa the insect was controlled satisfactorily by spraying with black leaf 40. The Potato Flea Beetle,, Epitrix cucumeris Harr. Potatoes were freely infested with this insect, its injuries attracting particular attention during early July. Tomatoes and, to a much lesser extent, cucumbers, were also attacked. The Zebra Caterpillar^ Ceramica picta Harr. In September this cater- pillar was present in considerable numbers in various sizes from abtDut one-quarter inch in length to almost full grown individuals. The leaves of turnips and cabbages were freely eaten. The Woolly-bear Caterpillars, namely the Yellow Woolly-bear, Dlacrma rirginica Fab. and the Salt Marsh Caterpillar, Estigmene acraa Dru . were exceptionally abundant in Eastern Canada in 1917. In the Ottawa district, in August and September, the foliage of low-growing plants of many kinds was much injured. In vegetable gardens cabbages, turnips and other plants were eaten. It is many years since we had such an outbreak of these hairy caterpillars. WiREwopars (EJaferid(e) and White Grubs, (Lnclinosterna spp.). Some injury was caused by the former, the complaints referring chiefly to damage to the tubers of potatoes. The worms bored into the tubers and rendered them unfit for use. Practically no injury was caused by White Grubs in the district. There were important flights of Laclinosterna duhia during the latter half of May and we may expect injury by the second year grubs in 1918. Grasshoppers. An outbreak of the Slender Meadow Grasshopper, Conoceplxalus fasciaius DeG., caused noticeable injury to field corn near Norway Bay, Que. The insects were present in large numbers and many Inlls in several rows had been almost completely eaten. The insects were particularly attracted to the male flowers and the nearby tender leaves. The injured rows were largely in a low lying portion of the field. Sluc4S. These creatures were decidedly destructive to many kinds of vege- table crops. The leaves of lettuce, beans, carrots, tomatoes, corn, etc.. were freely eaten. In some fields of beans the slugs were present in large numbers and were causing considerable loss. As a remedy we recommended tlie broadcasting, lightly over the soil before nightfall, of freshly slaked lime. Three applications on con- secutive evenings were advised. Eeports received afterw^ds indicated that such control was effective. In gardens the placing of shingles here and there beneath low growing plants is a useful method of trapping slugs. If the shingles are turned over in the morning the slugs there hiding may be easily destroyed by scraping them off and crushing them with the foot. The Carrot Rust-fly, Psila rosa- Fab. In a few gardens in the Ottawa district the work of this insect was readily apparent. Such infestations as we heard of, when investigated, were found to be too far advanced to make possible any control measures. The Horse Eadish Flea-beetle, Phyllotreta armorncicr. Although rather outside of the Ottawa district it is of interest to record here the occurrence of this 20 THE KEPUirr OF THE No. 36 beetle in considerable numbers at Outremont, Que. One of our correspondents (K'ev. Bro. Ouellette), sent to us leaves of horse radish which had been riddled by the beetles. When first discovered no less than 150 specimens were captured by shaking some leaves over a beating net. Attacking Fhuit and Forest Trees. The Eed-humped Apple-tree Caterpillar_, Schizura concinna A. & S., was- more than usually abundant in some orchards in 1917. The Cherry Slug^ Eriocam'poides limacina Ketz., was also present in notice- able numbers. The Eye-spotted Bud-moth, Tmetocera ocellana Schiff., caused important injury in certain unsprayed orchards. The Halisidota Tussock Caterpillars, namely, the Hickory "Halisidota, 11. car 1/(8 Harr., the Spotted Halisidota,, II. maculata Harr., and the Checkered Halisidota, //. iessellaris A. & S., were remarkably abundant throughout the Ottawa district. The previous outbreak of these caterpillars was in 1907. During ^the past season they occurred on apple, elm, basswood, maple, birch, and other trees. Conspicuous injury to the foliage of apple by the Hickory Halisidota was observed on August 8th. During the latter half of August and the first half of September the three different Halisidotas were conspicuous almost everywhere in the neighborhood. Around summer cottages they were a decided nuisance from their habit of dropping on people, crawling about verandahs, etc. Garden and Greenhouse Insects. In flower gardens, in addition to cutworms, which were more or less in evi- dence, the Four-lined Leaf Bug, Pcecilocapsus lineatus Fab., rendered unsightly the foliage of asters, dahlias, zinnias, etc. The Burdock Borer, Papaipema caiaphrada Grt., was present in more than usual numbers and destroyed many choice delphinium, dahlia and other plants with succulent stems. The Bordered Sallow, Pyrrliia umhra Hufn., was again noticed to be destroying the buds of roses at Ottawa. On July 21st young larvae about one-quarter inch in length were found. The above species of woolly-bear caterpillars {Biacrisia virginica Fab. and Estigmene acrcea Dru.) Avere very numerous in flower gardens. Both of these caterpillars are, in general, of similar appearance and habits and feed on a great variety of plants. There were no special outbreaks of greenhouse insects during the year. Eegularly-occurring species such as the various common aphids, scale insects, etc.» required constant attention. In the control of soft scales on ferns we have had satisfactory results by sj^aying rather heavily with three ounces of Sunlight soap to each gallon of water. Several applications, a week apart, were necessary. Division No. 3, Toronto District — A. Cosens. Although the average temperature in this district, during July and August, was lower than usual, yet the climatic conditions, in some way not easily explained, have proven favorable to the production of certain forms of insect life as several species were exceedingly abundant. Especially is this true concerning the Lepidoptera; it has certainly been an ideal season for the development of caterpillars. ItnS ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 21 The White-marked Tussock Moth, Ilemerocampa Uucostigma S. & A., has not been so plentiful for several years; it took complete possession of the city. In some of the down-town districts the shade trees, especially the horse chestnuts, were almost completely defoliated. In certain parts of the suburbs the caterpillars were numerous, where in former seasons only isolated wanderers were to he seen. In Parkdale, practically all the streets were invaded by them and they even found their way into the houses. " They were the terror of each favorite walk, The endless theme of all the village talk." On the elms of the city the caterpillars of Acronycta americana were plentiful enough to do considerable damage. This common species is easily identified by its dense covering of yellow hairs and the long, black pencils of bristles regularly placed on the body. As a general rule, the " woolly bear " caterpillar, larva of the Tiger Moth, Diacrisia virginica Fab., is noticed only in the fall, when it is hurrying about in an eager quest for food before going into winter quarters. This year, however, these reddish-brown larvie were plentiful in many gardens throughout the entire summer. While they seemed to prefer Virginia creeper they were often seen feed- ing indiscriminately on grape vines, honeysuckles, lettuce and other plants. The Isabella Tiger Moth, Isia isahella S. & A., the larva of which differs from the preceeding in being black at each end, was seen only in normal numbers although it is generally the more abundant species of the two. The ^Vhite Cabbage Butterfly, Pontia rapce Linn., has been a much worse pest tlian usual this summer. Although cabbage patches were plentiful owing to the general cultivation of vacant land, yet every plant observed seemed always to be an object of interest to a swarm of butterflies. In connection with the surprisingly large number of these butterflies seen in this district during August, the following note, kindly written at my request by Mr. Andrews of the city, is very interesting: "AprAEENT Migration of P, rap.t: (Cabbage Butterfly). "On Sunday morning (about 11.30), Aug. 12th, my attention was attracted by a number of these butterflies coming inland off Lake Ontario. " Sitting down to watch where they came from, one can imagine my surprise at seeing a huge swarm of these insects flying low over the Lake towards Kew Beach — there were positively thousands of them. " For three or four days after their arrival they were a perfect pest to people sitting or walking on the beach — they were everywhere and flying with them were the largest number of dragonflies I have ever seen. " I don't hesitate to add that this swarm of P. rapce came over the Lake, as everything regarding the weather was in their favour. The wind at the time of their arrival was gentle and blew south-south-west, and they seemed to be flying with it." Although the Monarch Butterfly, AnosM plexippiis Linn., was very numerous last year, it has been even more plentiful this season. During August ample evidence was furnished concerning the congregating habits of these insects. Flocks of them were seen in High Park, Mimico, and other places, even including the 22 THE EEPORT OF THE No. 36 verandahs and shade trees of a street in South i'arkdale, where a small swarm collected. At the same time as the butterflies were gathering together, the Bronzed Grackles were congregating. While among the insects there is of course none of the friendly clamor with which the members of a flock of blackbirds greet each other, yet it would seem that the butterflies are influenced by the same liking for companionship as the birds. Concerning the starting off of a swarm of butterflies on their long journey to the south, Mr. Andrews, quoted above, has made an important observation. It is only by the collecting of such material that we shall ever be able to unravel the mystery of the migrating tours of this typically American insect the Monarch Butterfly. , " On Sunday afternoon, Sept. 2nd, between 4 and 5 o'clock, I witnessed the de- parture of a huge swarm of Anosm plexippus. The swarm had been congregating for days in Kew Gardens; they flew from the centre of the Gardens towards the Lake and settled on the trees about 100 yards from the Lake. Here they stayed but a few minutes, rising as it were at a given signal they flew off over the Lake in a dense cloud. One thing which I particularly noticed was that their flight was rapid, as if they intended reaching the U.S.A. or wherever they were going in as short a time as possible. " I forgot to notice the direction of the wind." A number of Scarlet Oaks, Quercus coccinea Muench, in AVest Toronto, were badly infested with a species of Bucculatrix. Several branches from these trees were examined, and it was found that on nearly every leaf there were two or three of the flat, silken webs, under which the larvse feed after their first moult. Among other lepidoptera noted as more than usually plentiful, were the House Moth, Tinea pellionella, Linn., and two of the large silkworm moths, Sam in rrrropia and Telea poly ph emits. Division No. 5, Peterboeough District — F. J. A. Morris_, Peterborough. In spite of an extremely backward season and almost uniformly cool summer, the record of captures is one of the best I have ever had. This is true in regard both to single specimens of great rarity and interest, and to long series of insects either new to me or very poorly represented in my collection. By far the most of my observations have been among the Longicorns, and a great many of them have been obtained by following the clues of last season. My report is, therefore, in many respects a sequel to that of last year and is more nearly related to its fore- runner than has usually been the case. In 1916 I had discovered feeding on choke-cherry foliage a single specimen of a chrysomelian that was new to me. I thought at first rt was a species of Lina (the change of colour on the thoracic border being mistaken for a thickened margin), but it proved to be Gonioctena pallida. The capture had been made about the middle of June. This season I took three specimens in the last week of May, fifteen in the first week of June and a few some days later. They were all found in the same corner of the collecting ground known as " The Wood of Desire " ; nearly all on the foliage of choke-cherry, but two on pincherry and one on balm of gilead. Careful search on similar foliage in many other places has so far been without result ; I do not know how common or how widely distributed the insect is. In size, shape, and colour it closely resembles Lina interniptn : the black 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. ^3 marks on the bright reddish-brown elytra vary considerably in weight and are occasionally almost entirely wanting. Last year's report mentioned basswood as the probable host of some stray specimens of Chnjsomela captured by the roadside; ihese were a robust form of Chrysomela scalaris, both larger and more strongly marked than the variety found here on alder; another was captured this season at the same spot — west of Jackson's Park — and careful search along the road margins and fences finally disclosed the breeding ground — two basswoods about 100 yards north of the road; here large numbers of the insect were found and upwards of fifty specimens captured about the middle of June. The usual insect activity about blossoms in June and July was far below the normal, owing to lack of bright, calm days of summer heat. For instance, before Victoria Day in 1916 numbers of Pachyta monticola were captured in white trillium, early elder, and other blossom. This year hardly a longicorn of any kind was to be seen in May, and the trilliums were almost over before we had made a single capture. Much of the blossom itself was nearly ten days late: in 1916 choke- cherry had been almost over between June 4th and June 10th; this year it did not open till the latter date. However, during the short season of its bloom I was most fortunate in getting about three good days' collecting round the " Wood of Desire," and the results were well worth recording. The puzzling little Anaglyptus — Microclytus or Cyrtophorus — of which we got some fifteen specimens in 1916 and noted two pairs mating, was observed in considerable numbers on June 9th, 11th and 12th, always on choke-cherry; and as late as June 24th four specimens were taken on dogwood blossom (Cormis aUernifolia) and spiked maple, the choke-cherry being by that date over. A pair was once more seen mating in a flower cluster, and this time was segregated and marked male and female as a verified pair. Altogether over 100 specimens were cap- tured at four different parts of the wood, always just on the edges. On June 12th. a very warm day and bright, over seventy specimens were captured, more than a score being taken from a single tree. Except for its smaller size, the slighter gibbosity of its elytral bases and the less marked compression of its thorax, the beetle can hardly be distinguished in the open from Cyrtophorus verrucosus ; but it is much more sluggish in habit and crouches or clings in the blossom when approached in a manner quite foreign to Cyrtophorus. One of the most interesting points of this year's observations was that about fifty of the insects were brought home alive in small pill boxes, and when released from isolation and put together in a large glass- lidded cardboard box began to mate freely; indeed, within a few minutes I was able to withdraw nearly all the insects in verified pairs. The beetle has several important points of identity with Cyrtophorus and at least one essential difference from Microclytus gazellula. It can hardly fail to prove extremely clo-^e to the European Anaglyptus mysticus; it is almost certainly the insect named from Lake Superior by Dr. LeConte as Microclytiis gibhulus: it is the same as Casey's Microclytus frosti, and will be found in many collections, public as well as private, labelled Microclytus gazellula. While ransacking blossom for this little Anaglyptus, several longicorns new to me or rare, were taken in June. On the 9th a beetle was distinctly seen to fly from a grove of beechtrees to a cedar near the wood; it proved on cipture to be Anthophilax atfenuatus, an insect entirely new to me. Mr. Harrington has re- ported it from beech in the Ottawa district. On June 11th. re ting on the top foliage of a tall choke-cherry, a beautiful specimen of AntJiopliilax malachiticus was taken, the second insect of this species captured ])y me in over twelve years' 24 THE REPOET OF THE No. 36 collecting. A curious observation was made on this date, June 11th; it was a dull day and the wind was chilly; I captured only eleven specimens of M. gibhulus, and these were all taken, alive; but it proved impossible to secure a mating pair; on measuring the antenna^ I found them all short — three-quarters the body length ; they were all females, and 1 infer that in cool weather the males are le^s acdve and do not visit their favorite pollen blossoms; both before and after -that date, on bright, hot days, the males were almost as plentiful as the females. Professional duties combined with a wet week end to interrupt field observa- tions between June 12th and 23rd. On the latter date I captured the first of a series of the longicorn Psenoc&rus supernotatus ; I had previously captured but one or two isolated specimens at long intervals ; this season I captiired one en willow, three on sumach, and four or five on newly fallen balm of gilead ; these last were all of a very small variety, the others of normal habit. The specimen captured on the 23rd was found resting on a thick limb of willow that was dying from the attacks of Cryptorliyncus lapatln. On this date while examining the trunt of a large felled spruce that had been cut into three logs and stripped of its branches I saw what at first I took to be an elater crawling on the bark ; its movements and the appearance of its antennae, however, being suggestive of Asemum, it suddenly occurred to me that it was on spruce I had once captured Tetropium cinnamoptenim. This insect is usually parti-coloured, the head and thorax piceous and the wing- covers light cinnamon brown, whereas the creature before me was all piceous, and both smaller and narrower than any of Tetropium cinnamopterum 1 had ever seen. It proved, however, to be that species. For some time I could see only this one specimen, but just as I was going away I caught sight of a second, small and unicolorous like the first. Just disappearing over the far side of the log. I raced round the log to intercept it, but when I got there to my amazement th:^r:' was no insect, either on the log or on the ground. Now the bark of a spru-^e is rough and flaky; more or less idly I began lifting the flakes with a jack-knife, when suddenly from under one of them raced into view one of the parti-coloured forms of T. cinnamoptenim, followed by its mate, the small piceous insect I had been looking for. Acting on this hint I continued to prise up the flakes of bark and succeeded in flushing seven or eight of the insects, of which I captured five; once a pair in conjunction, both sexes being of the small, piceous form. It was really astonishing that pairs of this insect should lie so close under the comparatively small, tight- fitting flakes of bark, but on reflection I had to acknowledge that I had captured ^)nce over a score of the robust Physocnemum hi'evilineuni pairing just as j-nugly m the interstices of elm bark. Newly felled spruce, then, in the latter part of June is evidently a breeding ground for this uncommon longicorn T. cinnamopfenirv. I paid several visits to the spruce, but it was only on the 23rd and 24th of June that T foimd this beetle. My perseverance was, however, amply rewarded; ' on July 6th T captured near the axil of a broken branch a specimen of Meri\im proteus : it is hardly safe to generalize from a unique capture, but the date and habitat of felled spruce trunk are perhaps worth noting by Canadian collectors. The descriptions which refer to this insect as yellow-brown have evidently been taken from cabinet specimens ; in the live insect, head and thorax are rich violet, and the elytra appear as though dipped in violet dye, the tinge of which may be caught anywhere on their surface if held in the proper light ; the elytra being thinner and translucent, appear .less dark in hue than the thorax whose density renders it quite opaque. The thighs are bright yellow, almost the shade of the root fibre of Goldthread (^op/Ts trifolia) and very conspicuous, Thi^ matter of colora- j tion in published descriptions is very misleading. For instance, Encydops 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL S0C1P:TY. 25 caruhiis is spoken of as "' blue '"' or "■bluish.'" 1 have captured forty or fifty specimens of this beetle, and I never saAV one that was not of a beautiful light- green shade with a texture as of silk. If, however, a spet-imen remains too long in the cyanide bottle, it will turn to a dull bluish colour, loiing all the lustre of its surface. Again, Antkopliilax malacliiticus is really a rich and glittering green; it has a metallic lustre which reflects yellow and.copper at certain angles, but I can find no trace of the " blue shade " of printed descriptions. On June 24th a trip to the west edge of the '' Wood of Desire " yielded me two specimens of Leptura pedalis; a unique specimen captured on the same shrub (a large bush of alternate-leaved dogwood) in 1916 had been my one and only hint of the insect's presence in the neighborhood; it was on this 'date and on thi; shrub that I captured my last Microclytus gihhulus of the season. Work and weather prevented further records till July 2n;l. On that day (luring a motor trip west of Chemong I visited a steep hill crowned with basswoods, and while examining the foliage of one of the biggest ol those I captured a specimen of Iloplosla nubila, which roused me to a vigorous search in the hopp of more. Presently on a dead branch jutting from the lower trunk I captured a second; I then got over the fence into an open field so as to be on the sunny side of the tree; on the fence I captured three more specimens, and finally located n dead limb of basswood lying high and dry on a bank of field stone under the tree; here Hoplosia was evidently breeding and I had most fortunately come jump with the hour of emergence. I captured altogether some twenty-five specimens on this limb and on rails of the fence beside it. A few days later I took six more at thj same place and also captured about ten in other places. In the limb I found several larvaj and an imago in the act of emerging. There seems no doubt that Hoplosia nuhila's favorite food is dead basswood, and its tunnels are all near the surface, within or just lielow the inner bark. Several of my captures were made on newly felled basswood; it is probably here that ovipositing first take? plac ', and then, perhaps, the colony that emerges pairs and oviposits on the home-tree. An interesting observation was afforded by the capture of one specimen on a newly fallen maple ; last season I took one on fresh fallen beech. Beech and basswood only are men- tioned iir Blatchley as hosts of Hoplosia nuhila. July 2nd was altogether a phenomenal day in my entomological year. Late in the afternoon on a " brush-head " of dead hemlock thrown on to a snake fence as top rail, I captured two strange weevils; tliey were several feet away from one another, both on the main stem ; on minute examination they proved to be male and female : the male was 5 mm. long and its antennas were about three-quarters the body length; the female was 6 mm. long and its antennae only two-fifths the body. The insect was an anthribid, with a white snout, white scutellum, broad white patch near the elytra base, and a dainty little device in fawn-coloured pubescence on the thorax, shaped like a miniature fleur-de-lys or trefoil, otherwise the insect was almost uniformly black, not shining, but dull and rough ; it proves to be Gonotropis gihhosus, an insect sni generis and of great rarity. From the end of June I kept my eye open especially for Lamiifiids of the Acanthoderini group. In 1916 I had secured quite a range of species on poplar, and an equally wide range had been reported to me as occurring on sumach; as the two ranges only partly coipcide,-I was anxious to get personal corroboration of both records this year. I found Hyperplatys emerging as early as July 2nd from felled or dying ]ioplar, and a few days later it became quite common, especially on balm of gilead. Two specimens, also, of what appears to be Liopiis variegatus were captured on 26 THE EEPOKT OF THE No. 36 fallen or felled trees of this species. I had taken thirteen specimens in 1916 on billets of poplar in a wood pile; there is no doubt that the insect breeds in the balsam po])lar with us; a curious thing about my specimens is that they have dis- tinct traces of ciliate fringe under the antennas, especially on the third Joints ; many of them are as heavily fringed as Hyperplatys. 1 have specimens of Liopus alpha and cinereus captured in Ontario that are similarly adorned. Another peculiar feature is the colour; all my specimens of L. variegatus (var. ohscuriis?) are very dark grey, almost black. I strongly suspect that both ciliation and " melanism '"' are a question of latitude. For that reason I find the proportiongjte length of basal joint to the other joints in the hind tarsi a better test of generic character. Examination of staghorn sumach during the first part of July resulted as follows: After July 5th many specimens of Hyperplatys were captured; a single specimen of Goes oculata was taken on a dead limb; a single specimen of Leptostylus macula on a bruised shoot; a specimen of Toxotus schaumii on the foliage; a specimen of Lepturges signatus and about twenty specimens of Liopus alpha on the stems. On July 11th while looking over some newly lopped branches of basswood on the edge of a grain field I captured Hoplosia nubila, and a specimen of that dainty little insect with the flying hairs — Eupogonius suharmatus. This last I have never found in Ontario except on basswood; more than ten years ago I captured two in the Eideau district on basswood; three or four years ago I took more than a dozen on basswood in the Niagara Glen (towards the end of July), and a few days later two specimens near Peterborough. I have never seen basswood given in any book as the insect's host, but generally elm. Just after the middle of July we went into our usual camp on Cache Lake, Algonquin Park. I was greatly disappointed not to find any more specimens of Leptura pleheja this season on the spiraea blossom; the weather was not favorable for sun-loving insects that frequent flowers, but in other respects the captures this year were exceptionally good. And even in the matter of L. pleheja I have, as it proves, been extremely fortunate this summer of 1917. Towards the end of July, during a succession of very hot days, I made on my boathouse window several interesting captures including Leptura sex-maculata, L. siibhamata, L. hiforls and a small black longicorn that I bottled for Typocerus luguhris. On removing this last from the jar of moist sawdust in September, I found it had the antennge annulate with pale brown and devoid of poriferous spaces ; it proved, in fact, to be a Leptura, and almost certainly the male of L. pleheja. When compared with the four other specimens (all apparently female) of this beetle in my cabinet, the insect has two features of special interest, viz.: (l)Its much smaller size, (2) its entirely black abdomen, there being, on the under side, no traces of the brown outer segments that characterize the female. Two species of Acmo'ops were taken on white pine in the third week of July ; a specimen of Leptura sex-maculata on July 18th; a specimen of Leptura pedalis and several of L. clirysocoma (on spiraea) in the fourth week of July ; also an unidentified species of Leptura (on yarrow). During the last week of July and for three weeks of August Leptura suhhamata was found abundant on spiraea and elsewhere. After Aug. 5th Leptura canadensis became common, both sexes being taken on spiraea blossom and on dead pine and balsam. I notice that these sun- loving Lepturids which frequent blossoms seem to prefer standing to fallen timber, and the upper side of branches, whereas the shade-loving Lamiinids, Monohammi and others that are not attracted to blossoms, crowd to fallen timber and the under side of the limbs. Among Lepturas, it was an agreeable surprise this year to 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 27 ^ 1 capture quite frequently specimens of the uncommon Leptura hiforis; I took eight in the second and third weeks of August. A curious thing about the species is that it does not seem to share in the Leptura's generic love of pollen; it is the only species I have never seen on blossom; on the other hand I have more than once captured it settling on newly felled white pine, and nearly all my captures this season were made in front of the tent, the insect flying across the open in the immediate neighbourhood of a large white pine. For a native of Perthshire, I celebrated the opening days of the grouse shoot- ing season very appropriately : On August 12th I made the largest bag of the season and in some ways the most interesting, while on the 15th I included in my bag of ordinary game a prize as rare as the Capercailzie would be on a Scottish grouse moor — a beautiful specimen of Monohammus marmorator ^ ; it was captured on a windfall (fresh this season) of balsam fir, while ovipositing on the upper side of the trunk, near a branch axil. It is only the third specimen I have seen in twelve years; my first was captured similarly on fallen balsam near the Village of Lanark, Ont., and the second near Port Hope ; all three in my collection are females; the species is recorded as fairly common in the Lake Superior region. For my last note of the season I shall revert to my captures of August 12th. It was an ideal day for collecting; very hot. bright, and perfectly calm. A party of six or eight of us had paddled up the Madawaska to White's Lake and were lunching on a slope by the shore. It is a favorite spot for picnics, which un- fortunately explains how it came to be partly burned over a few years ago. Dead trunks of hemlock, balsam, spruce, pine and birch still stand up among the rasp- berries that have encroached on the scene of the fire ; the rest of the point was saved by the fire rangers' heroic efforts, and it was at the edge of the burnt space, in a hemlock grove with a few scattered pine, spruce, and balsam, that we were lunch- ing. Just after our meal, as my thoughts stole guiltily in the direction of my insect net, I saw something that sent my fingers clutching suddenly for the cyanide bottle: a log-runner (Xylotrechus) racing madly up a limb in the direction 0^ the trunk; unfortunately the limb he had chosen to exercise on was the thigh of one of the least entomologically minded members of the party, or the longicorn might either have escaped or at any rate died gloriously without being mutilated, but before I could interfere a horny hand descended in a shower of blows on the " pesky yellow- jacket," and the next moment it lay on the ground " a trunk and a head torn from the shoulders," though not " a body without a name " — Xylotrechus undulatus. I was soon busy examining all the standing balsam on the edge of the grove, especially trees that showed signs of languishing and had their trunks in the sun, for it had always been on such trees that I had taken this insect ; indeed, only a fortnight before I had captured five on the upright shaft of a dying balsam at Head Lake. Soon my search was rewarded by the capture of six specimens, at the same time I noticed large numbers of MelanopMla fulvoguttata and two species of Clirysohoihrvi settling on hemlock — living trees on the sunny edge of the grove. A close scrutiny of their trunks presently revealed a pair of Xylotrechus undulatus mating on the bark and two or three single specimens bask- ing in the sunlight. Before we returned to our canoe 1 had captured (nearly all on hemlock) sixteen specimens of the longicorn and some thirty-five of the buprestids. On the same day I secured one specimen of L. suhhaniata, two L. hiforis, and nine L. canadensis. At no other time or place have I seen X. undulatus on hemlock, and I fancy the fire is responsible primarily for the prevalence of these woodborers : it has not only killed and wounded a great deal of timber, but has exposed a wide space to 2S THE EEPOET OF THE No. 36 tlie combined action of wind and sun; this has meant greatly increased ovipositing in a restricted area, and as part consequence of such " intensive culture/' Xylotrechus undidatus, first bred in balsam, has then tackled the neighbouring and not very alien trunks of hemlock, much as the apple web-worm advances from orchard to forest trees in search of fodder as soon as its native pastures begin to fail. Division Xo. 6, Essex District — J. W. Noble, Department of Agriculture, Essex, Ont. Attacking Field Crops. WiREWOEMS^ "White Grubs, Cutworms. Considerable damage done to the strawberry beds and spring crops by white grubs; the damage from wireworms and cutworms, however, not so great as in an average year. Adults of all species (juite common. Attacking Fruit Trees. Codling Moth. Very plentiful on apples and pears in uncared-for orchards, ^(■ry little damage where spraying was practised. Considerable second brood. Plum Curculio. Considerable damage to plums, to a less extent to apples. San Jose Scale. Still quite plentiful in neglected orchards on hawthorns and some other shrubs, completely controlled in cared-for orchards. Tent Caterpillars were not common, only a few nests observed during the season. Fall web-worms plentiful, some orchards averaging two webs to a tree. Aphids. Quite common but more especially troublesome on small vegetables. Peach-Tree Borer. Has ruined a few orchards this year; seems to be plentiful and rather on the increase. x^ttacking Small Fruits and Vegetables. Melon Aphid and Cucumber, x\piiid. From these insects we suffered a great loss in Essex County this year. Cucumber aphids were responsible for 75 acres of cucumbers being plowed up. In fields where spraying with tobacco decoction was commenced in time no harm resulted. Some patches were sprayed as many as five times. Two cases came under my notice where the plants were • dusted Avith tobacco flour, spraying being done by two men, one holding the vine while the other did the spraying and the plants were killed. Bees were restrained from visiting the blossoms and the patch had to be plowed up. Melon aphids also killed a large acreage but were controlled by some of the best growers of large plantations by the use of tobacco water, 1 lb. to one gallon. Onion Eoot-Maggot. This insect did a large amount of damage in the onion marsh and experiments in this county did very little to control its ravages. Onion Thrips. Again very connnon and harmful. No results fron^ spray- ing this year. Cabbage Root-Maggot. Very little damage by cabbage root-maggot owing to wet weather during the season the flies were laying eggs. Asparagus Beetle. These seem to be becoming very common and have done considerable damage by making stems immarketable. Bean Root-maggot. Although considerable damage was done in other sec- tions no reports of injury were received from this county. Tobacco Worm. Very common : controlled in a great many instances by spraying with arsenate of lead, considerable number trapped bv poisoned James- town wpod. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 29 Grapevine Flea-beetle. Common in what small acreages are grown. Currant Saw-fly. Very common on currants and gooseberries that were not sprayed with hellebore. Greenhouse Insects. 'Considerable damage was done to tomatoes by eelworms (Nematodes). This was effectively controlled in some cases where it has been bad in previous seasons by the removal of the soil to a depth of about 8 inches. The general greenhouse pests seem quite active this year including aphids and greenhouse white fly: cucumber beetles doing considerable harm. Hydrocyanic gas was used for the first time in a number of greenhouses for the control of white fly. Division No. 7, Niagara District — "W. A. Ross, Dominion Entomological Laboratory, Vineland Station, Ont. In spring and early summer, the weather was abnormally wet. At A^ineland the precipitation for April, May, June and July was 16.56 inches. Early in the season, due to the unfavourable meteorological conditions, there was a paucity of insects; later on, however, they became quite abundant. An unusually large number of insect outbreaks were reported to me. Some of the outlireaks were real but many of them were imaginary. Insects Injurious to Field Crops. The Wheat Midge {Itonida tritici). On July 18th, I was called upon to investigate what was supposed to be a serious outbreak of wheat midge in the Niagara Peninsula. I found the pest generally distributed throughout Wetland and Lincoln counties and I understand that it was also present in other parts of the Peninsula. Here and there where the wheat was backward, the midge was abundant, but on the whole, the infestation was very light. In tliree of the worst infested fields. I found by counting the plump and shrunken berries that about 35 per cent, of the grain was more or less shrivelled. In heads containing 1,357 kernels 1.001 maggots were found, the number of larvae per infested kernel varying from 1 to 10. In a rearing cage in which infested wheat heads had been placed, one adult midge emerged on August 10th. The Grain Aphis (Macrosiphum granar'mm). During the latter part of July the grain-aphis came into prominence. It was very abundant on oats in certain sections of this district and produced so much alarm among grain mer- chants that, according to a St. Catharines dealer, the price of oats jumped ten cents. I looked into this outbreak, and, as I expected, found that tlio reports of serious losses being caused by the insect were without foundation. Natural checks — hymenopterous parasites, ladybird beetles, syrphid larvae, Eniomophora etc., as usual prevented any serious injury. The Oat Midge. The grain-aphis was succeeded by the oat-mids'e which, according to report, was destroying all the oats in the neighbourhood of Port Robinson. This depredator proved to be oat stamens. Thrips on Clover. The blood red larvae of Haplothrips statkes Hiil. were decidedly abundant on the heads of alsike clover in the vicinity of Ridgeway, but, so far as I could make out. they did not cause any appreciable injury to the crop of seed. 30 THE KEPORT OF THE ^o. 36 My attention was directed to this insect because the farmers mistook it for the notorious clover-seed midge. The Clover Seed Midge {Dasyneura leguminicola). In August, I was asked by a Vineland farmer to look at a field of red clover which was blooming very irregularly. On examining some of the clover heads numerous pinkish larvffi of the clover seed midge were found within the flower tubes. According to an estimate I made, at least 44 per cent, of the florets were infested or in other words 44 per cent, of the seed crop was destroyed. The Clover Seed Caterpillar (Laspeyresia interstinctana) . This species was common on alsike (Ridge way, July 27th) and on red clover (Vineland, August). The Seed-corn Maggot {Pegomyia fusciceps). This species was verj- des- tructive to beans in Welland County. Fruit Pests. As Prof. Caesar in his report on '^ Insects of the Year in Ontario "' will deal fully with the fruit insects of the Niagara Peninsula, I shall confine my attention to three species. The White-marked Tussock Moth (Hemerocampa leucostigma) was un- usually abundant on orchard trees, and a considerable amount of injury was done to apples by the larvae gnawing into the fruit. N.B. — The calloused blemishes on apples to which I referred in my report for 191€, are undoubtedly the work of this insect. The Pear Psylla {Psylla pyricola) was very abundant and injurious in certain parts of the district. The Apple Maggot {Ehagoletis potnonella) : As the apple maggot is rarely destructive in the Niagara district, it is worth while mentioning that this insect was decidedly injurious in a small apple orchard near Vineland. Miscellaneous Insects. Chermes. The Spruce Gall-louse C. ahietis, which in the last few years has been comparatively scarce, was abundant this past season on Norway Spruce. Chermes pinicorticis was very conspicuous on young white pines near Stoney Creek. Woolly-bear caterpillars were remarkably common this fall. Complaints were received about them attacking raspberry bushes. In a Hamilton greenhouse, the Yellow Woolly-bear (Diarrimi rirginka) attacked and skeletonized the foliage of Chrysanthemums. FURTHER NOTES ON THE IMPORTED ONION MAGGOT (TIYLEMYIA ANTIQUA Mg.) AND ITS CONTROL. Arthur Gibson, Chief Assistant Entomologist, Entomological Branch, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa. In Entomological Bulletin No. 12 of the Dominion Department of Agri- culture, the imported onion maggot is discussed on pages 29 to 32 and its control under field conditions on pp. 47 to 49. Since the publication of this bulletin in May, 191fi, further observations on the overwintering habits of the 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 31 insect have been made and investigations directed towards controlling it under field conditions. In the spring of 1916, a special search was made for the puparia in land near Ottawa which had been used for onions in 1915. On April 25th, one puparium was found in the soil at a depth of 4I/2 inches. On April 28th a further search was made with the following results: — 1 puparium found at a depth of 3 inches 1 " '' " 3% '' 1 " « « 43/g '' 2 " " " 43/4 '' 1 " « " 47/g " 1 " " « 51/8 '' 1 " " " 53/8 '' 1 " " « 61/8 " 1 « " " 63/g <' Altogether on the above two days, 11 healthy puparia were found at depths in the soil ranging from three inches to six and three-eighths inches. In addi- tion other puparia were collected but as these were within five inches of the surface, the exact depths were not noted. A close watch for larvae was kept but none were observed. The flies from the above puparia emerged during the period, May 12th to 18th. The above observations bear out our previous supposition that the usual stage in which the insect winters in Canada is the puparium stage. Control Experiments. Poisoned Bait Spray Used. The poisoned bait spray which has been used in our experiments in 1916 and 1917 is the one referred to in our Entomological Bulletin No. 12, as follows: — Sodium arsenite 5 grams (close to y^ oz.) Molasses 1 pint. Boiling water 1 gallon. The sodium arsenite was first dissolved in the boiling water and the molasses then added. When the mixture had cooled it was ready for use. In both years we used a plot one-half acre in extent. In 1916, our work was largely interfered with owing to rains which fell, in several instances soon after the applications were made. Notwithstanding, however, such adverse weather conditions the results from the experiment were certainly of a very promising nature. In 1917, the experiment was continued on the same farm and our results were indeed most satisfactory. Applications of the poisoned bait were made by Mr. I. T. Barnet, who assisted in this w^ork, on June 13 (plants about four inches high) ^Oth and 27th, and July 4th and 16th — five applications in all. On this latter date the onions were about one foot high on the average and were making such rapid growth that it was decided no further applications would be advisable. The flies were readily attracted to the bait and on occasions. a day or two after the mixture was applied, .dead- flies were easily found which had fed upon it. The mixture was applied as coarse drops from a watering can with a small hose. The half-acre plot was quickly gone over. Mr. Barnet began at one end 32 THE REPORT OF THE No. 36 and walked diagonally at^ross the crop continuing from one side to the other in a V-shaped manner, the strips where the liquid would fall being about lo fett apart at the wide end. tu. e+nT^.I From the half-acre plot U5 bags of good onions were harvested. Tl e stand was certainly an excellent one considering the season. In two other nearby plots of the same size, which were not sprayed, the work of the onion maggot was readily seen and it was estimated that 20 per cent, of the plants were infested. These experiments were conducted on the farm of Mr. I. A. Farquharson. near Rivermead, Que., which is close to Ottawa. We are very grateful to Mr^ Farquharson for allowing us the use of his plots and for his kmdly interest and assistance in our work. . ,, , • , i ^ The cost of controlling the onion maggot with tjie above mixture, under conditions prevailing in 1917, was about $1.10 per acre. This estimate includes the cost of the ingredients, as well as a charge for the labour required to apply the five applications. In cases where areas containing several acres were to be treated, the cost per acre could, we think, be somewhat reduced. ^ , . , From the work which has been done near Ottawa, the results of. which correspond with similar work accomplished elsewhere, it seems to us that, the commercial grower of onions, in districts where the onion maggot is a regularly occurring pest, should test out the value of the mixture under his immediate local conditions. The cost of the materials is slight and the mixture can be applied quickly even where a number of acres are to be treated. One acre can be treated in "less than ten minutes. . . i' Prof Caesar: Whai is the formula for the poison bait reterred to . . Me Gibson- Five grams sodium arsenite, one pint cheap' molasses, dissolved in one gallon of boiling water. Wo did think of trying mixtures containing slices of onion, which bv some were thought to make the bait more attractive to the flies but we did not think this would make any appreciable aiiference. Prof Caesar: Is there anv injury to the plants by the sodium arsemte and molasses, and also will you tell me just exactly what you mean when you say that it is spread diagonally on the field? Mr Gibson : There was no injury to the plants from the use of this mixture. So far as the method of spreading the bait is concerned, the operator walks across the field at one end, and continues crossing the field back ^gam to about fifteen feet from where he first started, so that it is spread over thel held m a V-shaped way. Prof Caesar: Backwards and forwards? Mr Gibson: Backward and forwards across the field. It is not necessary to apply it all over the onion patch. It is usually applied in the form ol largo drops. .Prof. Caesar: And the flies feed on the drops? _ • • . . Mr. Gibson: Yes. We found them feeding readily on the mixture. Prof. Caesar : Was there any difference in the amount of infestation in the adjacent rows of the adjoining plots?- ' ' . . .' /'', .i Mr. Gibson: We found the infestation in the adjoining plots to be rather evenly divided. Prof Caesar: My idea was that in those adjacent patches you would expect less infestation than vou would get further away, for the reason that the insects would be nearer the bait and would therefore be controlled by it, to a greater extent. For this reason of course you can always get better results ])y treating larjie areas. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 33 Mr. Gibson: The chief object, of course, is to control the outbreak early in the season, that is to say during the pre-oviposition period. Mr. Brittain : How long is that period ? Mr. Gibson: In the onion maggot about ten to fourteen days; in the cab- bage maggot six to seven days. Mr. Brittain: I have tried controlling the cabbage maggot by poison bait placed in shallow pans. The eggs of the maggots were on every plant in the field. I believe that Mr. Sanderson and his staff were working on the onion maggot in the same way, and he claims that their results were very successful. An account of this appears in the last report they got out. They made this treatment in the pre-oviposition period. THE ENTOMOLOGICAL SERVICE OF QUEBEC. Georges Maheux^ Provincial Entomologist> Quebec. From an entomological standpoint, America presents this difference from Europe, that she gives hospitality to a greater number of parasites. Even if they are imported from the old countries, these parasites are working more havoc here than in their place of origin. The New Continent, however, affords the Old World a striking example in regard to the creation and organization of various services susceptible of helping the public and more particularly offering appreciable advantages to the agricultural community. Whilst over there private initiative is often left to its own resources, on this side of the Atlantic, governments, following a different policy, endeavor to give birth to movements, to guide and support them. Thus, it becomes com- paratively easy to avoid dangers and to attain the aim in a quicker and safer way. And we could not find a more convincing illustration of this statement than the creation of the numerous entomological " bureaus " already in operation in North America. History. It was in the year 1913 that the Government of the Province of Quebec entered this path. Consequently, the history of her entomological service is rather short. In fact, it is hardly four years since our regulation for the protection of plants was voted and assented by the Legislature. Nevertheless, the appointment of a Provincial Entomologist dates back from the year before, and it is a disciple of the pioneer of entomology' in our Province who became the • titular of this post. It is, indeed, Provancher, this great apostle of science, who stirred up _and developed in my predecessor the love for natural history and who lead his first steps. L'Abbe Huard was admirably well, prepared to fill the important function to which he had just been appointed. A perspicacious observer, advised naturalist, indefatigable collector for more than thirty years, author of a treatise of Zoology, director since twenty years of Le Naturaliste Canadien, curator of the Provincial Museum, he had been good enough to place at the disposal of his country, his extensive knowledge, his wide experience and to devote the last years of his active life to the agricultural class. He organized the Bureau of Entomology, wrote out the law For the. Protection of Plcmts. In June, 1916, he published quite a considerable bulletin on " Les Principales Especes d'Insectes Nuisibles et de Malarlies Vegetales." But his health, shaken by incessant labour, not allowing liim outside excursions, was betraying his energy, and he had to withdraw to a less disturbed life in the month of July of the same year. 3 E.s. 34 THE REPOKT OF THE No. 36 The writer of these lines was called upon to succeed him. This was rather a heavy burden for young shoulders to support, but youth has great boldness, and this proverb is often true that says " Audaces fortuna juvat." Confident in the truthfulness of this Latin proverb we have assumed the task and have set to work. Our programme may be summed up as follows : — Inspections. The vegetation season requires our presence nearly every- where in the Province. According to the law, the entomologist must, in the first place, make the official inspection of commercial nurseries between June 15th and September 15th. There are presently about ten large nurseries and some thirty of small or medium area, most of them connected with the Fruit Stations of the Department of Agriculture. These visits require a good part of the summer. Meanwhile, we have to answer to the alarm calls uttered here and there by unfortunate proprietors fighting against an invasion of insects; in most cases we have to take a trip to the battlefield with a view to bringing into action the army of remedies. Occasionally, these trips will afford the chance to make experiments on the control of various insects. Moreover, instructors, dis- seminated all over the Province are charged with visiting orchards and gardens and have to report — on special forms — on insects which are found by them. This enables us to judge with perfect knowledge as to the territory which requires our efforts. Propaganda. In a country still young, particularly in the implanting of new ideas, the key to success lies in the education of the people. Our desire is to acquaint all growers with the enemies of their plants, we are desirous to familiarize them with the best preventives and remedies ; finally, we are anxious to convince them of the imperative necessity of following our advices without any delay. This is a work of propaganda, work that is often lengthy and the success of which is depending, in short, on the sole virtue of perseverance. Once this result will have been obtained, we believe that the struggle against injurious insects will be on the eve of being general. With a view to reaching this end, we endeavour to collaborate to all publications which are circulated amongst the agricultural mass. We also take advantage of bulletins, circulars and lectures. Even fairs or exhibitions have been given a test as a means of teaching the public, and I think I am right in saying that this initiative has met with fruit- ful results. Collections. In concurrence with our inspection trips, we gather the ele- ments of an economical collection that will remain the property of the Depart- ment of Agriculture. In this work, I am pleased to say, several collaborators give us their valuable help. I will particularly mention the instructors of the Horticultural Service and the officers of the Forestry Branch to whom the ento- mologist is indebted for many specimens. In connection with this collection work, we will mention the fact that we aim to the instruction of the young people of rural schools and that we encourage the formation of small collections for school museums. The child's curiosity is very much aroused by this inte'resting work; when he has grown a man, with greater knowledge, he will be better equipped to enter the struggle. Besides, we will have printed, very shortly, for primary schools, a series of wall maps or posters showing injurious insects and the means at our disposal to combat them ; in this manner, we expect to be able to vulgarize rapidly amongst school pupils the elementary knowledge of, plant protection. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 35 Our collection comprises the six following items:— 1. Insects injurious to vegetables. • i 2. " " fruit trees and shrubs. 3. " " cereals. 4. " " forest and ornamental trees. 5. " - " animals, men, bouses. 6. " " miscellaneous. General Woek. The office work necessitates quite a voluminous corres-- pondence if one thinks that the service is a new departure and the question a recent one, at least officially, in this country. Every day provides its share of inquiries of all kinds, chiefly looking for information as to the remedies to be applied in the case of some injurious insects. We see to it that the laws regulat- ing our service are carefully observed and lose no opportunity of trying to complete this regulation. We will submit, within a short time, to the approval of the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, a project of by-law intended to regulate the sale of fruit trees and shrubs. Here, I take the liberty to make a suggestion. I am of the opinion that our work will never bear good results and many efforts will be lost if we do not have, in the near future, a general by-law obliging every grower to spray his cultures. This is practised in several countries, with success and the same regula- tion could be enforced in Canada. In the fight against some species which are largely spread, we enroll school boys and girls; the results obtained have proved excellent and will be more so in future. Our Department relies on the Federal Branch for the making of experiments and researches ; however, it does not fail to do its share and efficiently co-operates with Ottawa. Finally, we are working in close harmony with the Chief of the Horticultural Service, who does his utmost to procure to the Horticultural Societies or to their members, the best kinds of sprayers at fair conditions. The same method applies to insecticides. To conclude, I will say that we are now organizing in Quebec, an Ento- mological Society which will soon be in operation. When this is an accomplished fact, we will come and ask our affiliation to your society. I am sure in advance that our request will be favorably received. The mother society which is yours, could not refuse to adopt a new daughter without losing her distinctive character. But this shall not be and we will work in co-operation with you to enlarge and make prosperous the Entomological Society of Canada. Prof, Lochhead: Mr. President, I should like to say a few words about the good work done by Mr. Maheux. I have been in a position to see some of his work, and also the work of the Department at Quebec. I knew his predecessor, Abbe Huard, very well, and I was delighted when Mr. Maheux was appointed. I should like to say a few words to those from the West regarding entomology in Quebec — what is being done by our friends and by the Department at Quebec, We have, I think, under-estimated the work done in Quebec in the past. I do not know if you are aware that Canon Huard has written a very interesting article for the Quebec Society for the Protection of Plants Eeport, giving the history of economic entomology in Quebec. He says that there is no province in the Dominion where more entomological work has been done than in this Province. He refers to the various reports that have been published by the Department; to Provancher and his works; to different systematic treatises that have been published since his time : to the various collections of insects, etc., in the Province, of which he mentions tliat he knows personally of 20 collections in large seminaries; but he left the impression that there are far more than this if we could only 36 THE REPORT OF THE No. 36 find them out, for there are many silent workers in all parts of Quebec who are adding to the store of knowledge, working among plants and insects. Some of these workers have come from France; they have introduced this science into Quebec in the schools, and the work of Mr. Maheux at the present time is not, therefore, what we may call a new work. Probably Ontario got a little ahead in having a Provincial Entomologist, and in some other enterprises, but we must not conclude that because Ontario is ahead along certain lines it is ahead in every line. We have only to go through some of the museums in Montreal — Laval, McGill and some of the other colleges — to see what has been done. As an Ontario- born man I wish to acknowledge the great work Quebec has done in entomology. Prof. Caesar: I should like to congratulate Mr. Maheux on the programme of work that he has made out for himself. I, consider it a very adequate one, and it contains a number of suggestions that I think other provinces would do well to adopt. I was much interested in what he said about the work in the public schools ; I have seen the charts he refers to, and I think they are particularly good, and the coloring is true to nature. They should be a very great source of value, and the children should learn more easily by this method, thus making it easier for the teacher. Some of his remarks, too, I think might be of use in connection with the subject of how entomologists can help in the production and protection of food supplies. I welcome Mr. Maheux as a brother provincial entomologist; I shall be very glad to co-operate with him and expect to receive from him help that will be of much value. I am sure we are all pleased to welcome Mr. Maheux among us as one of our members. SOME IMPORTANT INSECTS OF THE SEASON. L. Caesar, 0. A. College, Guelph. The Blackberry Leaf-miner {Metallushetliunei, MacGillivray). From time to time the last ten years there have been outbreaks in Southern Ontario of a Blackberry Leaf-miner, which Dr. A. D. MacGillivray says is a new 8peQJ§s, Metallus hethunei — very closely allied to Metallus rubi. So abundant are the insects in these outbreaks and so many mines are made in the leaves that wholg fields of blackberries look as if blighted. One of these outbreaks occurred thisi,year at Burlington on .Snyder blackberries. When last visited, October 20th, fully 60 per cent, of the total leaf surface was mined and numerous larv^ were still feeding. Life History. No special attempt has been made to make a close consecutive study of the life-history, but from notes made since 1910 the following facts are gleaned : There are two broods in a year ; the adults of the first brood in warm seasons begin to appear about July 1st, but in cooler seasons are evidently considerably later. Eggs are laid in the tissues of the leaf, chiefly beside the main ribs. The female inserts her ovipositor through the upper surface and forces it down to, but not through, the lower epidermis and the egg is placed close to this. Eggs are very pale white or almost colorless, oblong and slightly curved. They swell before hatching and the lower epidermis, thus raised, show? clearly even to the naked eye where they are placed. I counted 61 eggs on one leaf. Mr. Aiton, my assistant, counted 150. The larvje soon after hatching begin to make irregular shaped mines, and by the time the fruit is ripe (as 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 37 judged by this year) the larvffi of the first brood are for the most part full grown, and have begun to leave the mines and enter the soil, where they construct a firm little oval earthen case about 5 mm. long by 4 mm. wide. Inside this they pupate. The cases found were from 1 to 2 inches below the surface. The adults of the second brood begin to appear after a couple of weeks and this year were still present in countless numbers by September 2ist. Egg-laying was then at its height. A few larvse of the second brood can be found in leaves as long as these remain green. I found them at St. Catharines one year near the end of November. Most, however, have entered the soil long before this and constructed their earthen cocoons. The winter is passed in these in the larval stage. Fortunately, this pest does not begin to injure the leaves until two or three weeks before the fruit begins to ripen, and much of the fruit, at least this year, was off before the mines of the second brood were made. Yet in spite of these Work of Blackberry iLeaf Miner. factors the insect must do considerable damage in the way of weakening the plants and lessening next year's crop. It certainly makes the owner much alarmed lest it will ruin all his plants. Methods of Conteol. Cultivation of the soil in late fall and the early part af the next season suggests itself as a practicable method of control, but is ineffective; probably because the cocoons are not easily broken. It has been suggested by some writers that kerosene emulsion would penetrate the dead portions of the leaf and kill the larvfe, but it does not do so. Black- leaf 40, as shown by Herrick, will kill the larvse of some Saw-fly Leai-miners in their mines, but it has no effect upon this species. Having failed to kill the pupne or larvre I next thought it possible to poison the adults. These apparently remain exclusively on the leaves and find their food there. I do not remember seeing one anywhere else, not even on the fruit, neither does Mr. Alton. Accordingly I made a preliminary test of spraying the leaves with sweetened arsenate of lead and to my delight the adults could almost at once be seen feeding upon it. Encouraged by this, I' assigned to Mr. Alton the 38 THE REPOET OP THE No. 36 task of making definite caged tests with large cheesecloth cages over individual bushes. Cheesecloth was placed also over the ground beneath these cages to make counting dead flies practicable and also prevent new adults coming up out of the soil. The cages were as follows: — Cage 1. — Bnsh sprayed with arsenate of lead in water sweetened with molassee. Cage 2. — Bush sprayed with arsenate of lead in water without sweetening. Cage 3. — Bush sprayed with calcium arsenate in water without sweetening. Cage 4. — Bush unsprayed as check. In each cage 60 adults were placed. Resttits at end of SO hrs. Cage 1. — 13 dead. " 2.— 12 " " 3.-25 " Check " Results at end of 52 hrs. Cage 1. — ^53 dead. " 2.— 51 " " 3.— 60 (all) dead. Check 8 dead. Results at end of 12 hrs. Cage 1.— 58 dead. " 2.— 60 (all) dead. " 3.— 60 " Check 18 dead. From these tests it seems quite clear that this species of Saw-fly can be poisoned in the adult stage and that molasses is not necessary for the purpose. The question then arises as to when to do the poisoning. It will have to be done before the adults appear in July, and it seems to me the proper time will probably be just before bloom, or just after most of the blossoms are off and the fruit is still so small that there will be no likelihood of the poison being on it when ripe. A second application will possibly be advisable just after picking. Arsenate of lead will probably be the safest poison and if applied heavily without molasses should remain on the foliage for a month or more. Arsenate of lime kills more quickly but would be more likely to injure the foliage, though none of the spray- ing either in cages or on the part of the row I treated myself, even where molasses was used, caused burning. I hope to make a careful trial of the poison treatments this coming year and to give a further and more definite report next year. Zebra Caterpillars (Ceramica picta). In September and October of 1916 there were several turnip fields in Peel County and probably in many other unreported parts of the Province that were severely injured by the Zebra Caterpillar. As it is rare that this insect becomes very numerous I did not expect it to cause much trouble this year, but to my suri^rise it has been very abundant in many counties west of Toronto and has stripped many a turnip field of all or almost all its foliage. Many fields were thus defoliated by the end of September, thus preventing almost a whole month's growth. Cabbages were also attacked. The larva; were found feeding on several other plants. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 39 Five kinds of control measures were tested, but only one proved at all satisfactory, namely dusting with Paris green mixed with 20 times or more its bulk of air slaked or hydrated lime. Any other fine, moderately heavy substance such as land plaster should do as well as the lime. I thought that possibly the Zebra caterpillar and moth. poison bran might work, though the feeding, or rather the resting habit of remaining on the leaf except in wet weather, made it dou;btful whether they would ever seek or find the bran. The result showed that while a few did come in contact with it and died, about 90 per cent, did not. Codling Moth (Carpocapsd pomonella). A remarkable thing about this insect this year was the great number of side injuries it caused all over the Province. This was especially noteworthy in Niagara, because most of the side injuries there are ordinarily caused by the second brood and are made during August and September, but this year about Dark castings at calyx end, showing where Codling Moth larva usually enters the apple. Adult Codling Moths, natural size. land.) (After Slinger- 90 per cent, of these were to be seen by about the first of August. I have notes on this subject made on August 4th and again on September 15th and October 20th, and the estimate of the percentage of injured fruit on the first date is almost the same as on the last. This shows that it was the first and not the 40 THE REPOET OF THE No. 36 second brood that was responsible for these side injuries, in fact there was only a very small' second brood this year even in Niagara district. It seems to me we may possibly account for the larger number of side injuries this year in two ways. (1) There were very few apples and hence more larvae would attack these apples than if there were a larger crop* (2) Many of the moths emerged very late and laid their eggs after the pubescence was off the little fruits, and in the absence of this entered the side of the apples much more readily than if the pubescence had been present. A poison spray three weeks after the blossoms fell gave good results this year in all cases where it was well applied. The White-marked Tussock Moth (Remerocampfl leucostigma) . Judging from the number of egg masses to be seen this autumn the Tussock Moth will be very abundant in many of our cities and larger towns next year. Complaints have already come in from as far east as Belleville and as far west as Goderich. In Toronto I counted 500 egg masses on a single maple tree in the Exhibition Grounds. Not only are the egg masses abundant in cities and towns but also in many orchards. One wide awake young fruit grower said to me a few days ago that in his opinion this would be one of our main orchard pests next year in Western Ontario. In Niagara it is likely to do a good deal of damage and if it is not destroyed will in apple orchards injure a large percentage of fruit. Work on apples of the larvEe of the White-marked Tussock-moth. In destroying the insect in orchards and for that matter also on shade trees, a person is very likely to overlook the egg masses concealed in leaves. This spring I asked my men to remove the eggs in one of our experimental orchards, but did not call their attention to the leaves. On visiting the orchard again I saw that these had been overlooked so that the work had to be done again. Mr. W. E. Biggar, the Provincial Fruit ?ests Inspector, has used a small wire brush about six inches long and one inch wide and fastened to the end of a pole. A single stroke of this tears the egg masses to pieces. This brush has been used in St. Catharines and some other places and given satisfaction. In my opinion it is very good for the lower part of trees to the height of ,say. 15 or possibly 20 feet, but above that I think a hook, especially if toothed along the sides and ends, will prove better. A test of crude creosote was used, but it seems to me 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 41 this will prove very unsatisfactory. I cannot help believing that it does not penetrate through in many cases and so does not kill all the eggs, at any rate it did not seem to me to have done so even when eggs were examined several days after treatment. The removal of egg masses when numerous on tall trees is a very great task. I observed that many of them, in fact a very considerable percentage, were situated near the top of the trees in the crotches of branches, often not more than one inch in diameter. Fortunately, egg masses seem on lateral branches to be situated either in the crotch or on the underside, not on the upper side and so can readily be seen. Some, of course, are in leaves attached to twigs or branches. It is very doubtful whether in badly infested city parks spraying would Larva and adult male of White-marked Tuesock-Moth. not be much cheaper than removing and gathering egg masses. I have written to two firms to see whether we cannot secure at a reasonable price good outfits that will throw a satisfactory spray from the ground to the top of the tallest trees. I do not mean the costly type of outfit used in the Gipsy Moth work. Both companies claim that they can furnish machines that they believe will prove satisfactory. I should like information from anyone present as to what percentage of eggs would hatch from egg masses removed in late autumn or winter but left lying on the ground, also as to their experience with crude creosote on egg masses. Slugs. I have never seen so much damage from Slugs as this year. Beans were their favorite food, and these in many fields were fed upon ravenously and in some cases almost defoliated. Paris green as tested by myself and also by Mr. Baker failed to control them. Lime was not available in the district where I was, but hydrated lime as applied late in autumn killed them if used freely. I am not sure whether it would prove satisfactory on a large scale in spring or early summer when they are most destructive. Lime-sulphur will kill but not at the strength the plants are likely to stand without injury. Thh Seed Corn Maggot {Pegomyia fusciceps). This insect caused much injury to beans in many districts. - The Wheat Midge {Contarinia tritici). Wheat in Wentworth, Lincoln, Welland and Haldimand suffered considerable loss from the Midge. In some districts about 10 per cent, of the kernels were affected. Only eight adults emerged this year under normal conditions in our 4 E.S. 42 THE EEPOET OF THE No. 36 cages, but we had no evidence that any eggs were laid. The remaining insects either entered the soil to pupate or remained in the wheat heads. Apparently fully 50 per cent, doing the latter. Eight-spotted Forester [Alypia octomaculata) . Near Toronto the larvte of this moth were very numerous on grape foliage. Halisidota tesselaris was unusually abundant this autumn and fed on numerous plants. Halisidota caryce attacked in considerable numbers apple leaves in the counties of Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex. Halisidota liarrisii destroyed much of the foliage on sycamore trees in parts of the Niagara district. Diacrisia virginica was a great pest in gardens in many parts of the Province and attacked numerous flowering and other plants. Datana inteqerrima defoliated walnuts in Essex and Kent. The larva of the Hickory Tussock- Moth {Halisidota caryce). Prof. Lochhead: Is this Blackberry Leaf-Miner a distinct species from the rubi? Prof. Caesar: By looking at the two species ruhi and bethunei you would say that they were exactly the same, but Dr. MacGillivray has found a few differences. Both species are black, about ^4 iiich long, and the body is quite black and the legs white, so that it is easy to recognize it as one of the two species. A full description is given in MacGillivray's Tenthredinoidea. Mr. Gibson: Did you find both species during the work? Prof. Caesar: No. Only the one species. Mr. Gibson: Did you find this pest all through the Niagara district? Prof. Caesar: Yes. There is a species this side of Toronto which has also been found almost as far as Port Hope. I do not know whether it is the same. Mr. Swaine: What was the strength of the spray used? Prof. Caesar: The same strength as for orchard sprays, 2^/^ lbs. to 40 gallons of water. Mr. Swaine : We have tried kerosene emulsion sprays, just ordinary summer strength, on the leaf surface. I have killed them in strings with kerosene emulsion and also with Black Leaf 40, strong. 1918 ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 43 Prof. Caesak: In the case of Black Leaf 40 I tried it decidedly strong, and what is more, I put the insects all together in a tight-fitting box so that the fumes could not evaporate easily, and brought them home packed very closely. The fumes had no effect at the end of two or three hours, and they were strong enough to have acted in a few minutes. Dr. O'Kane: We did some work this summer along the same lines of contact sprays for leaf-miners, chiefly the Apple Leaf-miner. This work was done on quite a large scale, an assistant starting in spring and remaining all summer on the work of penetration of contact insecticides. We worked the previous winter in the laboratory, shaping our results as far as possible. Of course apple is not the same as blackberry, but I may tell you our results. We used a great many different kinds of material including Black Leaf 40, up to 1-50; kerosene emulsion up to 35 per cent.; Black Leaf 40 with soap; lime sulphur at various strengths up to that which burned the tissue. We also used chemical reagents. We ti'ied these through two generations of the Leaf-miner, the first spray when the Miner just hatched, the second when it wp.s 14 ^^- loiig? and the third when it was full grown. We made no penetration whatever into the mines with any substance, except through advantageous openings. If the Miner happened to be next to the mine where there was a good puncture, it got killed; if it was in the middle of the mine it did not get killed. If it was at the far end of the mine it would not be harmed in the least unless the application was sufficiently strong absolutely to destroy the leaf itself, when, of course, the miner was killed too. Pupation would go ahead as usual. As I say, if there happened to be an opening or puncture the material would penetrate, but if there was no sudh puncture the Miner had a perfectly satisfactory and efficient shelter. I am not certain with regard to elm leaves, but this prevails in the case of apple leaves. Prof. Caesar : May I ask a question and suggest an answer ? I want a whole lot of information on how to control slugs. The President: This has been a most serious problem with nearly everyone on account of the wet season. Mb. Gibson : At Ottawa this year we have been using air slaked lime. Prof. Caesar: Have you tried hydrated lime? Mr. Gibson : No ; only ordinary lime. Prof. Caesar : I found last week or the week before when making some further experiments with hydrated lime that at this time of the year it will kill slugs, but whether it would kill them earlier in the seas&n I do not know. I do not know whether it would have any injurious effect on the foliage, say of beans. Lime sulphur if applied very stronsr will kill slugs, but it has to be too strong and will injure foliaafe. Hydrated lime when it comes in contact with a liquid forms a pasty substance. I should like to know if anyone else can suggest any other remedy. ^ Dr. Corcoran : Last season in the garden everything was eaten up by slugs around Notre Dame de Grace. Almost all the lettuce and cucumber patches were spoilt, and even pumpkins were eaten. We would find a pumpkin with a good- sized hole eaten in it by slugs. We tried hand-picking, bnt that was the only remedv we tried. How is the lime applied? Prof. Caesar: You can applv the lime in the eveninof when the sluflfs are at work. They work on top of the leaves and by dustin